2003 BMW M3 Custom Dash / Overhead Console

**srcstc** · 05-01-2005, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by gork

Hark:

srcstc: Thanks for keeping that list of carriers going; are those the smoker package or non smoker package parts? BMW has 4 part numbers in total for that trim piece -- for car pc folks, it might be nice to opt for the 'non smoker' version which gives you a larger bin where the ash tray is. I wish I had done that, as I could have had a lot more room in there for maybe some pc control buttons, usb ports etc. Of course you can build these inside of the ash tray too, but it's not as much of a clean slate as a nice empty bin. Plus, if you need somewhere to stash your sunglasses or something, you're not giving up your only bin.

There is also a part that replaces the cup holders with a storage bin. It's a euro part since they don't come with cup holders. Another nice thing to consider when you are losing that other bin.

I think the smoker package just replaces the ash tray insert with a regular insert and the lighter with a cap.
You can find the euro tray on ebay or you can order it from www.circlebmw.com (eastcoast) or www.pacificbmw.com (westcoast).

Rich

**Hark** · 05-02-2005, 01:01 AM

Thanks Gork - this is great info. Please update the thread with any progress you make on this.

**gork** · 05-02-2005, 01:06 AM

Well I got my carpc back in tonight after about 2 mo of being out of the car (OUCH) -- anyway, my volume was *WAY* louder than it used to be -- I used to have it around 50-60% to get good volume. Now anything over about 40% is windows-down-driving-fast level volumes. I think I know why though -- my car had the battery disconnected during a recent service visit where they replaced my engine rod bearings.

So I think that the amp does have a gain setting but it can be reset by disconnecting the battery or otherwise set to max by putting the HU in and cranking the volume before removing it again. In any case, its a non destructive and simple thing to try.

I am holding off on the line driver though; I think my audio sounds OK as is. I have heard the SB Live cards output a higher voltage than normal on their outputs, so I may try using one of those. I have a case of them in my closet

**Hark** · 05-03-2005, 12:33 AM

So there must be a wire that controls the amp gain - we need to find it and put a knob on it, rather than this reconnecting the old hu business. Rich, any idea which one it might be?

**gork** · 05-03-2005, 02:17 AM

uhm... As I said, the control appears to be via a serial bus of some sort, so it won't be a simple matter of "putting a knob on it". The bus is likely private to the headunit, too (similar to the control bus between the HU and cd changer, for instance). Disconnecting the battery seems to "reset" it to maximum, so it's not really an issue at all. Just turn the volume up one time before you disconnect it and you'll be set forever. Please, if you want to get an oscilloscope in there and manually figure out the format to control the factory amp, be my guest. If you actually hook it up and try it, the problem is solved (permanently) in 5 minutes. If you really want to take the time to screw with controling the factory amp more than this, you are really wasting time and money since you can buy a better amp than even the HK for about $150... seriously, in the scheme of things, it's not very good.. good enough for me but I am hardly discriminating. As far as I have been able to tell, the amp controls are isolated from I-Bus... The amp has something like a 40 pin connector on it.. we are very lucky that it even works w/o the HU

Of course, things may be a little different in your car since it is factory NAV. There are some core changes deeper down in the car's coding.. This is one of the reasons your clcok does not work without the radio module.. Non nav cars have a perfectly functioning clock w/o the headunit because the OBC controls it-- but in a NAV car, the navigation computer is the unit that controls the master time... So who knows? Maybe the amp control is a little different in the nav cars. Sorry I did not know this before -- i guess 'just plug in the HU and turn up the volume' is quite a bit more complicated on NAV cars

You will have some work ahead of you; don't despair though -- anything can be done. Again, remember that if you get hung up on the amp, it may just be cheaper to refit an aftermarket unit in there than to fiddle with the one from BMW!

**ltrain1007** · 05-17-2005, 07:42 PM

when hookin up the sven4 i notice there is a yellow and orange wire, that arent in the sven4 but is int the bmw harness. . . where does that go?

searching . . .

**gork** · 05-17-2005, 07:48 PM

Um... I don't know. The harness colors are different on different radio harnesses. I hope you aren't just hooking the wires up color by color! An aftermarket radio harness will have a pinout that shows you what each wire is. The SVEN4 is hooked to each speaker + and - (8 wires total) and the GND wire for a total of 9 wires. The bmw harness should also have wires for antenna/amp remote, 12V ignition switched, 12V battery, and dash illumination. You should loop the 12V switched w/ ignition back to the antenna/amp wire so that the amp will power on and off with the car. The 12V battery wire should be taped off. I think it's a very low amp wire, so you probably should not try to power anything from it. It's made to keep radio station presets etc while the car is off. You probably won't have a use for the dash illumination wire either, so tape it off too.

**ltrain1007** · 05-17-2005, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by gork

Um... I don't know. The harness colors are different on different radio harnesses. I hope you aren't just hooking the wires up color by color! An aftermarket radio harness will have a pinout that shows you what each wire is. The SVEN4 is hooked to each speaker + and - (8 wires total) and the GND wire for a total of 9 wires. The bmw harness should also have wires for antenna/amp remote, 12V ignition switched, 12V battery, and dash illumination. You should loop the 12V switched w/ ignition back to the antenna/amp wire so that the amp will power on and off with the car. The 12V battery wire should be taped off. I think it's a very low amp wire, so you probably should not try to power anything from it. It's made to keep radio station presets etc while the car is off. You probably won't have a use for the dash illumination wire either, so tape it off too.

wow thanks for the quick response, what about the ground wire on the rca side of the sven4? thanks again

**Hark** · 05-18-2005, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by ltrain1007

wow thanks for the quick response, what about the ground wire on the rca side of the sven4? thanks again

Look a couple of posts above at #241
(EDIT: Sorry, you were asking about the GRD wire on the RCA/CarPC side, not the AMP side - didn't catch that. Question still stands)